Faded Paint

[Key West Ralph]

Folks: Why does Kubota paint their equipment with the cheapest crap available? My 2018 M62 is pink. Really? We pay substantial amounts of money for these rigs and a few years in the sun and...pink? I have a Husqvarna zero turn that is orange and it looks like the day I bought it.
I love my tractor but come on man.
Be safe out there. Ralph

 

[Trimley]

 

[69 SS]

My 2015 L 3901 is kinda pinkish, the FEL is still 90 % orange, and has never been off the tractor, and they are parked under a shed. Out of direct sunlight.

 

[85Hokie]

Folks: Why does Kubota paint their equipment with the cheapest crap available? My 2018 M62 is pink. Really? We pay substantial amounts of money for these rigs and a few years in the sun and...pink? I have a Husqvarna zero turn that is orange and it looks like the day I bought it.
I love my tractor but come on man.
Be safe out there. Ralph

The SUN loves to bleach anything red - I have seen a red notebook lay in a school window and the sun cook the red off of it in less than a month!!

Red for some reason will fade faster than any other color due to it's wavelength.

 

[jaxs]

My 2015 L 3901 is kinda pinkish, the FEL is still 90 % orange, and has never been off the tractor, and they are parked under a shed. Out of direct sunlight.

Same thing with Bushhog loader on my B series,which tells us manufactures building fels use better paint than Kubota uses on their tractors.

 

[GrizBota]

I wonder if Big K has changed the paint formulation being used over the years (you know, more environmentally friendly, that coincidently is less expensive). I have an ‘06 kept in the barn, nice and orange, about 95-90% as bright orange as the ‘21 parked next to it. Both my Brother and FIL have ‘06s stored outside, they are both a faded orange, but certainly still orange. I saw a photo of one over 20 years old here on OTT (@Flintknapper Nice Orange) that looked brand new, obviously stored inside.

 

[mcfarmall]

Krylon Kubota orange fades to light pink in 1 year...total junk. Rust Oleum Regal Red looks like new after 3 years in the sun.

 

[fried1765]

Krylon Kubota orange fades to light pink in 1 year...total junk. Rust Oleum Regal Red looks like new after 3 years in the sun.

Is Rustoleum Regal Red an exact match, or... "just close enough"

 

[mcfarmall]

Is Rustoleum Regal Red an exact match, or... "just close enough"

Not even close. The Regal Red example was for reference only as a brand/color that is more fade-resistant. I painted my scraper blade red and it lives out in the sun.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Not enough 'UV inhibitors' in the paint ......
If I was really serious about paint fading, I'd just spray on a 'clear coat' with very high UV inhibitors in it.
As it sits though, the BX23S will outlive me....

 

[jaxs]

I once worked in construction and building maintenance for a company with hundreds of buildings in 16 states. Sherwin Williams colors were speced but there wasn't always a SW store nearby and other stores often mismatched colors. After a talk with SW corporate they gave us commercial #s for every color and that allowed other stores to mix perfect matches. Based on how Kubota discontinues parts and refuses to sell patents I doubt they will release commercial #s for paint. If some OTT member wanted to be a hero they could work with SW, Ace Hardware,Home Depot or other well known company to assign numbers or formulas to old and new paint colors. Blue and Grey are even more difficult to buy than Orange. I have no long term experience with Kubota Orange by Rustoleum but agree with someone earlier about other colors I've used stood up better than average,reds in piticular.

 

[jaxs]

Not enough 'UV inhibitors' in the paint ......
If I was really serious about paint fading, I'd just spray on a 'clear coat' with very high UV inhibitors in it.
As it sits though, the BX23S will outlive me....

Sometimes the truth can be painful.

 

[fried1765]

Not even close. The Regal Red example was for reference only as a brand/color that is more fade-resistant. I painted my scraper blade red and it lives out in the sun.

I used Valspar "Kubota Orange" sprayed on, with hardener added.
Did fenders, and loader bucket.
Touched up elsewhere.
Good match......except for existing fading in other areas.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Home Hardware 'Kubota orange' both spray and US gallon (alkyd) is same as my 2018 BX23S paint colour...
Most ( any ?) auto paint supply store has the numbers and can scan a part for colour. There's 3 choices... single stage(base) AND clear(real old school), base-clear stinky(old school) , base-clear ,water born(new stuff). You'll get 3 different shades of orange, and even between manufacturers.

 

[Key West Ralph]

Great input gents. Why then has Husqvarna cracked the code? Perfect orange lasting years. The hell with part numbers and secret code rings. Buy a gallon of Husky orange and be done with it.
The worst part will be buying the decals.

OR I can just work my M62 around the property changing fluids frequently and greasing after each use and bequeath it to my kids. My favorite piece of equipment by far…
Best regards,
Ralph

 

[fried1765]

Great input gents. Why then has Husqvarna cracked the code? Perfect orange lasting years. The hell with part numbers and secret code rings. Buy a gallon of Husky orange and be done with it.
The worst part will be buying the decals.

OR I can just work my M62 around the property changing fluids frequently and greasing after each use and bequeath it to my kids. My favorite piece of equipment by far…
Best regards,
Ralph

I masked all the decals on my Ford 1920, and also the ones on my L48, anywhere near I sprayed.
Takes a bit of time, but worth the effort IMHO.

 

[NCL4701]

New Holland blue, John Deere green, Massey and Case IH red all fade as well, particularly certain year ranges. They just don’t fade to pink so no one gives a crap. I’ve seen a bunch of faded Allis-Chalmers orange but don’t recall seeing a pink one; just faded orange. Not sure how Kubota pulled off the orange to pink thing.

Cat yellow never fades because it’s not paint. They’re yellow because they’re made of gold. If you don’t believe it, buy parts for one.

 

[jaxs]

Semitransparent masking tape is available. Cover decal then score tape with razor and peel away leaving decal perfectly masked.

 

[DustyRusty]

Not enough 'UV inhibitors' in the paint ......
If I was really serious about paint fading, I'd just spray on a 'clear coat' with very high UV inhibitors in it.
As it sits though, the BX23S will outlive me....

A lot of the parts on your BX23S are powder-coated, not painted. I have scratches on my tractor that are on the surface, and rubbing compound will not remove them, but it will change the color. I use Meguires cleaner wax on the tractor to protect the "paint", but it isn't painted as I had on my old BX22. That was real paint, and I could compound the faded paint till it was bright orange again. I use the Chevrolet engine orange for touch-up work, and it holds up well. I keep the tractor clean, but I also know that it is a tool that gets used and scratched.

 

[JenniferKubotaM62]

Folks: Why does Kubota paint their equipment with the cheapest crap available? My 2018 M62 is pink. Really? We pay substantial amounts of money for these rigs and a few years in the sun and...pink? I have a Husqvarna zero turn that is orange and it looks like the day I bought it.
I love my tractor but come on man.
Be safe out there. Ralph

I agree, 2019 M62 and same thing, I'm disgusted with how quickly it faded, mine looks terrible.

Jen